Paloc Soup (Palócleves) — Hungarian Lamb Soup with Green Beans and Sour Cream

• 600 gboneless lamb shoulder (Trim excess external fat and cut into 2 cm cubes; weight is after trimming.)
• 20 gsunflower oil
• 1yellow onion (180 g peeled weight, finely diced.)
• 3 clovegarlic (9 g peeled weight, minced.)
• 10 gHungarian sweet paprika (Use fresh, unsmoked sweet paprika.)
• 0.5 tspcaraway seeds (Lightly crushed.)
• 2 leafbay leaves
• 9 gfine salt
• 0.25 tspground black pepper
• 1200 mlwater (Divided: 100 ml for blooming the paprika, 300 ml for braising and 800 ml for the soup.)
• 400 gwaxy potatoes (Peeled weight; cut into 1.5 cm cubes.)
• 400 ggreen beans (Trimmed weight; cut into 3 cm lengths.)
• 200 gfull-fat sour cream (Hungarian tejföl or cultured sour cream with approximately 20% fat.)
• 20 gall-purpose flour
• 1 bunchfresh dill (Use 15 g tender fronds, finely chopped; discard coarse stems.)
• 15 mlwhite wine vinegar (5% acidity.)

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the lamb cubes dry and prepare the onion, garlic, potatoes and green beans as specified. Measure the water into separate 100 ml, 300 ml and 800 ml portions, and remove the sour cream from the refrigerator.

2. 2

   Heat the sunflower oil in a heavy 4-liter pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly golden rather than deeply browned.

3. 3

   Stir in the garlic and crushed caraway and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the sweet paprika, and immediately add the 100 ml portion of water to prevent the paprika from scorching.

4. 4

   Return the pot to medium heat and add the lamb, salt and black pepper. Stir for 3–4 minutes until the meat is thoroughly coated and begins releasing its juices, forming a porkolt-style base.

5. 5

   Add the bay leaves and the 300 ml portion of water, then bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for 40–50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the lamb is nearly tender; keep the heat low enough that the covered pot retains its liquid.

6. 6

   Pour in the remaining 800 ml water and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Add the potatoes and green beans, then cook partially covered for 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the lamb yields easily to a fork.

7. 7

   Whisk the sour cream and flour together in a heatproof bowl until completely smooth. Gradually whisk in 250 ml hot broth taken from the pot, then pour this tempered mixture back into the soup in a thin stream while stirring.

8. 8

   Maintain a very gentle simmer for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, to cook the flour without vigorously boiling the sour cream. Remove the bay leaves, stir in the chopped dill and vinegar, and let the soup stand off the heat for 5 minutes before serving.